<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Sea breeze by FakeCirilla9</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26298106">Sea breeze</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FakeCirilla9/pseuds/FakeCirilla9'>FakeCirilla9</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Chronicles of Narnia (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Book/Movie: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Courtship Customs, Eastern Sea (Narnia), Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Mythical Beings &amp; Creatures, Underage Drinking, Underage Kissing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:53:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,827</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26298106</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FakeCirilla9/pseuds/FakeCirilla9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>As the Voyage of the Dawn Treader goes on, Caspian and Eustace get closer to one another.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Caspian &amp; Eustace Scrubb</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Narnia Fic Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sea breeze</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/chocolatewatchandwaistcoat/gifts">chocolatewatchandwaistcoat</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the prompt: Rivals to Lovers is fun, I think. Huahahaha. I also enjoy a good bit of vindictive chatter, and ferocious kissing might be fun. :P<br/>Maybe a prompt where they're sailing together? They discover each other? They make a bet maybe? Who knows? Or maybe they already have a relationship and it just develops nicely. I don't know. :P Kind of a dudebro relationship but not too much. They're friends, but also kinda hate each other, but they love each other. :P</p><p>I tried to include as many things from the request as I managed. I think I left out the Lonely Island, though. Hope you like it anyway ;)</p><p>And although the receiver preffered the book verse, I'm making it a movie verse, because the characters seem older there. And I make them go through pastimes that are illegal for children XD. Underage warning tagged to be safe; the whole action is rather mild.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You lost. You know what you have to do. You promised."</p><p>"Because I was sure I'd win," Caspian admitted, resigned.</p><p>"Isn't that cheating?"</p><p>"No. It's confidence in one's capabilities."</p><p>"I'm certain you will manage with this one too. I believe in you."</p><p>"You have some great faith in me, then."</p><p>"Do you really think I, a king of old, would put a task before you that's too hard to fulfil?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>Edmund laughed at the immediate answer from the younger man (or older, depending on which universal timeline you used for calculations).</p><p>Caspian smiled reflectively in answer but his face fell as he glanced further down the deck.</p><p>"Don't worry, it won't be so bad," Edmund reassured him, even as he followed his friend's gaze.</p><p>Eustace slogged towards them, dragging himself up the stairs leading to the poop deck, clutching the railing as if holding on for dear life.</p><p>“Captain,” the newcomer began officially, “I demand to know when the storm will pass.”</p><p>“The storm?”</p><p>Caspian looked at him quizzically, then glanced around at the mostly even sea. Gentle waves painted the horizon line white as their caps reflected the sunrays. The azure sky was clear of any cloud. If they could complain about anything, it was the too faint wind.</p><p>Their unexpected passenger did look positively green, however.</p><p>“I am not the captain, Drinian is,” Caspian explained as Edmund kept himself in the background. “But as far as I can tell, this seems very calm weather to me.”</p><p>“This is not- ” Eustace broke off to hang over the side of a ship and dry-heave.</p><p>Caspian made to step towards him but was stopped by a pull at his sleeve. </p><p>“It’s only for attention,” Edmund said derisively, rolling his eyes. </p><p>Eustace shot him a dark glare before straightening himself.</p><p>“I can see you are not well,” Caspian defused the approaching conflict. “Perhaps you should go lie in your cabin for a while? They say there is no cure for seasickness other than to wait it out.”</p><p>“No, I’ll go find that Drinian since you can’t tell me a thing,” Eustace said loftily, raising his chin, and left them.</p><p>"Won't be so bad?" Caspian repeated Edmund’s earlier words sarcastically.</p><p>"Well..." Edmund drawled.</p><p>"I promised, I know," sighed Caspian. "Things one does for honour…"</p><p>Something in his tone made Edmund cast him a wary look.</p><p>"But don't use any force. Even if I harbour some doubts about our blood bonds, he may really be my cousin."</p><p>"Of course I won't use any force. Who do you take me for?" Caspian demanded, indignant. </p><p>"What will you do then?"</p><p>"We have our courting customs in Telmar."</p><p>
  <span>Lucy trudged up to them and they both fell silent immediately. The girl regarded them with a suspicious glance, her bright smile wavering a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you two scheming?” she asked, looking from one to the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing,” answered Caspian too quickly, without meeting her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is men’s business,” explained Edmund, which got him a shove on the arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He achieved his goal, though, as he and his sister soon engaged in a mock scuffle, and Lucy did not return to the previous topic afterwards.</span>
</p><p>***</p><p>If he was courting a woman, he would give her flowers or an adornment for her hair. There was a set of customary gifts that everyone knew the meaning of. With a lad, it was more complicated. Caspian still believed he would manage just fine if the man in question was anyone but Eustace Clarence Scrubb. He was a puzzle to the Narnian king. </p><p>Eustace did not seem the type who would enjoy flowers. Nor did he look interested in creatures like hunting birds (and Caspian could, in the necessity, spare one of their winged messengers). But he would not give a sentient being to someone who may mistreat it. And watching Eustace’s interactions with some of the crew members convinced Caspian it would be a bad choice for a present.</p><p>Eventually, the king decided to settle on a knife. It was beautifully made, perfectly balanced and richly adorned with gems. Any page would feel honoured to receive something like this. </p><p>Eustace looked interested at first and Caspian relished in imagining Edmund’s mien at his coming victory in their little game.</p><p>“A gift? For me?” Enthusiasm and suspiciousness mixed in Eustace’s tone.</p><p>Caspian offered him a small package which the other lad took eagerly. He opened the box, making a quick job of the latch he probably saw for the first time. Caspian was nearly impressed, but then Eustace’s expression, instead of lighting up like Edmund’s when he drew his sword, went back to his usual scowl.</p><p>“A knife? What would I need a knife for? I’m a pacifist.”</p><p>“A what?”</p><p>Eustace rolled his eyes, but explained with a dose of condescension: “Someone that thinks war and violence are unjustifiable.”</p><p>Caspian frowned.</p><p>“What if someone attacks you? Or your country, your family, your friends? Won’t you protect them?”</p><p>“Look, I don’t know what you are up to but if you are trying to make me into one of your soldiers, that’s really not for me.”</p><p>Eustace handed him the ornate weapon back and turned to go.</p><p>Caspian was left with a refused gift and it felt too much like a defeat.</p><p>“Wait!” he called after Eustace’s retreating back.</p><p>The boy stopped.</p><p>“What?” he barked, turning only his head slightly to the side.</p><p>“I have enough knights and you are quite safe when you are with all of us, but you really should have a weapon to defend yourself. These waters are uncharted territory…”</p><p>Eustace whirled back towards him and his look was vicious.</p><p>“And whose fault is it that I’m here?!”</p><p>“Are you saying we should have let you drown?” Caspian asked, taken aback. A wave of anger was waking in him in response to Eustace’s attitude. “You should thank us instead!”</p><p>“I’m not talking about your stupid ship! I’m talking about this whole… Narnia. I never wanted to be here! I should be home studying geography right now. While you don’t even have proper tools to chart maps, you barbarians!”</p><p>Caspian advanced on him, pushed by the urge to stop the insults with a strike. But grabbing Eustace’s by the lapels he caught a glint of fear in the other’s watery eyes, and he forced himself to unclench his hands.</p><p>“Don’t ever speak of my people like that,” Caspian warned through clenched teeth before letting go.</p><p>Eustace fled.</p><p>***</p><p>There was a knock at the door and Eustace called “Enter”, surprised but glad that his insufferable cousin was finally learning some manners.</p><p>He only noticed that it wasn’t Edmund when a shadow fell onto his desk. Eustace snapped his diary closed as the object of his recent complaints loomed over him. </p><p>“What do you want?” Eustace asked, looking at Caspian warily.</p><p>“I wanted to say I’m sorry.”</p><p>Eustace scoffed.</p><p>“About my behaviour earlier. That was uncalled for. And I have something as a sign of peace.”</p><p>“Another weapon as an olive branch?” Eustace mocked.</p><p>Caspian’s lips twisted into a fleeting grimace.</p><p>Eustace became both anxious that the beef-head would attack him again and exhilarated that he could throw the annoyingly ideal knight off balance.</p><p>“No,” the Narnian said tightly. “I brought this. I thought you may enjoy it.”</p><p>He retrieved a golden trinket and Eustace couldn’t believe his own eyes, forgetting his resentment for a moment.</p><p>“An astrolabe!” Eustace practically jumped to grab the thing and started studying it, noting the solid work and assessing the accuracy with which it could take various measurements.</p><p>“I take it you like it.” Caspian sounded like he was smiling but Eustace hardly tore his eyes from the precious thing in his hands. </p><p>“Are you kidding me? Of course I like it! I can measure the date with it, keep track of time. Find out what latitude we are on.”</p><p>“This world is a bit different than yours,” Caspian said. “I’ve heard yours is round?”</p><p>Eustace looked at him. The man appeared genuinely curious with how his dark eyes shone. Eustace revised his opinion of him as an uncultured vandal. Perhaps he was closer to an uneducated Middle-Ager after all.</p><p>“It is,” Eustace admitted.</p><p>“Then how is it that you don’t fall down when you are on the underside of it?”</p><p>“The gravitation works,” Eustace said. As his questioner's face stayed blank, he added: “A force that planets emit, attracting smaller objects to themselves.”</p><p>“Amazing,” Caspian muttered and Eustace could see he was trying to picture it in his mind.</p><p>Then, something struck him.</p><p>“Wait, you want me to believe Narnia is flat?”</p><p>“It is,” Caspian said, like it was a most natural thing.</p><p>“That’s not possible! The Earth is round. Everyone knows that since Copernicus.” </p><p>“This is not your Earth,” Caspian reminded. “You can try it with the astrolabe if you don’t believe me.” The king’s eyes twinkled in mirth. “For we have some useful tools, too, as you can see.”</p><p>Eustace glanced back to the astrolabe.</p><p>“Yeah…” He shuffled, suddenly embarrassed. </p><p>Caspian stared at him as if expecting something of him and Eustace realised how close they were.</p><p>“Thanks.” The word that made it through his throat was barely heard. Maybe that was why Caspian leaned in even closer. He came so near Eustace could perceive the warmth of his body, feel the faint draught of his breath.</p><p>The moment seemed to stretch between them but then Caspian stepped back.</p><p>“I’m glad you like it,” he said and left the cabin as swiftly as he’d come.</p><p>Eustace stayed frozen in place, wondering what that had been. The Narnian king had really been acting strange around him lately, come to think of it.</p><p>***</p><p>The day wasn’t as bad as the previous ones. Eustace spent time measuring the position of the sun above the horizon, scribbling numbers in his notebook and calculating various angles. The results made little sense. Either he had forgotten algebra completely or Caspian had told the truth about the flat world. Or he went mad from the sun. It was the latter that Eustace considered most probable.</p><p>The day went pleasantly. He even managed to forget about the constant sway of the boat, before someone decided to harass him once again.</p><p>“Excuse me,” Eustace addressed the seagull that sat on the railing, perfectly in a way that would block his unhindered access to the sun, the distance of which he was trying to gauge.</p><p>The creature did not heed him at all.</p><p>Eustace’s irritation spiked.</p><p>“Could you move, please?” he gritted out. “You are obscuring the sun.”</p><p>One black orb ogled him impudently. Still, the bird made no move. </p><p>“You really are lacking in social etiquette here, huh?!” He raised his voice and nearly instantly regretted it, as it brought the crew’s attention to him.</p><p>“Hey, what is he doing?” someone called out.</p><p>“Is he talking to that bird?” a being that was half-man, half-horse, added incredulously.</p><p>“Are you talking to a seagull?” a fox with a very human like sly smile asked, trotting up to Eustace.</p><p>“What if I am?” Eustace asked defensively.</p><p>The canine snickered. The centaur followed his example and soon all the closest circle was poking fun at Eustace.</p><p>“Hey, look, the boy is talking to the bird,” a minotaur bellowed above the crowd, which brought more stares and more laughs.</p><p>“What?” Eustace snapped at the fox at his feet. “I logically assumed that if so many animals talk here…”</p><p>The fox hissed at his choice of words and the rest of Eustace’s words were swallowed by the growing uproar of hilarity around him. Eustace felt his ears burning in shame and he chased the seagull away, angry at himself, angry at those around him who laughed at his expense. </p><p>“What is this tumult?” he heard a familiar voice above the crowing.</p><p>Several Narnians supplied that he was trying to start a conversation with a wild seagull and Eustace’s fists clenched in useless frustration.</p><p>“And what is so amusing about that?” Caspian’s voice sounded cold in comparison to the general merriment. “Not long ago all Telmarines believed Narnians to be fairies not existing outside the pages of children books. Have you forgotten already?”</p><p>The laughter died down gradually and the sailors scampered to their respective tasks, avoiding the glare of their ruler.</p><p>“Thanks,” Eustace muttered, peering at Caspian. </p><p>The king traced with his eyes his retreating subjects; an angry grimace did not fully leave his handsome face.</p><p>“I didn’t really expect that,” Eustace added, “that you would take my side.”</p><p>Caspian’s face softened as he looked at him.</p><p>“Your side? You are one of us.”</p><p>The Narnian king put a hand on Eustace’s shoulder and the youth felt the by now familiar tightness in his throat. He stayed motionless, enjoying the moment, the heat of Caspian’s arm, the salt breeze and sunrays reflecting on the water surface before them. The uneven fluttering mirror of the sea seemed to glimmer like thousands of gems and gold coins scattered in a long belt between them and the sun.</p><p>***</p><p>The sounds of music resounded on the deck, mingled with drunk people singing false melodies of shanties Eustace didn’t know. The boy was torn between cringing at the too loud roars of minotaurs, and sneaking bits of food which finally came in a decent amount.</p><p>He must really have spent too much time with all these freaks for some dishes were tasty. Or it was just the effect of hunger induced by Caspian’s mean rationing. Yes, that must be it, reasoned Eustace and nearly stumbled into the king when he turned.</p><p>“Uh- sorry.”</p><p>Caspian caught him even though Eustace wasn’t about to fall. The warm hand on his arm wasn’t unpleasant, however, so he said nothing.</p><p>“May I offer you a drink?” Caspian asked.</p><p>“Uhm.”</p><p>“Just don’t tell me you are an abstinent as well.”</p><p>Eustace smiled in spite of himself. “I’m not.”</p><p>Caspian took that as consent, for he poured them two cups of rum.</p><p>“You’ve spoken with Edmund,” Eustace noticed.</p><p>His cousin was somewhere in the crowd too, at the centre of attention – suited him, a freak among freaks, Eustace judged – but Eustace didn’t look around to localise him.</p><p>“I wanted to learn how to impress you.”</p><p>Eustace coughed, nearly choking on his drink.<br/><br/>“Why would you?” he managed as Caspian clapped him on the back.</p><p>Caspian’s hand stayed at his nape even though Eustace wasn’t coughing anymore.</p><p>“Do you like me, Eustace?”</p><p>The question took him by surprise. Maybe it was a good sign that something still could shock him after spending time in the company of the talking beasts. </p><p>He must have been hesitating too long, because Caspian took away his hand, which had started to stroke Eustace’s hair.</p><p>“No. I mean, don’t stop it. It felt nice.”</p><p>“So you do like me?”</p><p>Eustace gulped more of his rum.</p><p>“I do,” he confessed, looking up to peer into Caspian’s dark eyes.</p><p>The king leaned in closer, his palm never leaving the back of Eustace’s head, and Eustace closed his eyes, ready to give in to the atmosphere. But then he didn’t feel Caspian’s mouth, but Caspian’s forehead pressed to his own.</p><p>“I’m sorry. I can’t. It’s not fair towards you. I shouldn’t have agreed in the first place.”</p><p>This sounded all wrong and out of place.</p><p>“What are you talking about?” Eustace asked, genuinely lost in the conversation.</p><p>Caspian drew away from him, closed his eyes momentarily, then looked back to him. “I bet with Edmund.”</p><p>“About what?”</p><p>“It is of no matter now. I lost and was obliged to fulfil the task he set before me. I did not suspect he would come up with something like this!”</p><p>“Like what?”</p><p>“To seduce you.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>A silence fell and Caspian looked away. It was probably the first time Eustace saw him ashamed. It was a nice feeling, he decided, to see a flaw in someone seemingly so perfect. He looked the way Caspian glanced and saw his insufferable cousin staring at them, sprawled against the railing. Eustace felt a new wave of irritation towards the Pevensie. He craved to pay him back somehow.</p><p>Caspian made to go away but Eustace caught him. The Narnian looked at him, surprised.</p><p>“Are you saying,” he ascertained himself, “that if we kiss, it'd be a slight to my annoying cousin?”</p><p>“Well, more or less-”</p><p>Eustace didn’t wait for further explanation. He grabbed Caspian by his white sailing shirt and pulled him closer, then pressed his lips to the Narnian’s mouth.</p><p>Caspian uttered a surprised sound, but it was soon muffled. The king’s lips tasted of rum and salt breeze and Caspian himself. Eustace had to admit it wasn’t bad. He may even have called it intoxicating had he been a romantic fool. But he was not, so he only smiled at Caspian’s bewildered expression and cast a vicious look to where his cousin stood with his mouth agape.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Betaed by the amazing <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/that_possum_guy">that_possum_guy</a>. Thanks so much for your unending patience and support!<br/>@Everyone: do yourself a favour and check out some Narnia fics under that link, you won't regret it! :D</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>